On one of the forums I frequent, I had a friend ask for advice for going to Disneyland for the first time with her kids. I thought I’d provide a general PSA and provide that information for all of you, since we went last week and I think I have some VERY helpful tidbits of information to offer. haha! Here’s what I said:

I have two words for you:

HAND SANITIZER

We are season passholders. We go ALL the time. Without fail, one or all of us gets dreadfully ill a few days after going to D-Land. We love the place, but it is a germ haven - especially because everyone is touching the handlebars on all the rides, etc.

We just went last week. Devyn and I are fine, but Mike has had massive fevers, sore throat, and PINK EYE.

Not to scare you . . . Devyn and I didn’t get sick - but we used the sanitizer way more than my husband. Could be coincidence . . . but from the stories I’ve heard, I don’t think so!

Okay . . .as for the rest of it . . . HAVE FUN! I can’t give you too much advice because your kids are at a totally different age than Devyn, so my Disneyland experiences are quite different (no Matterhorn for her!). But the Buzz Lightyear ride IS fantastic and don’t forget to email yourself the picture afterwards . . . it’s the ONLY thing at Disneyland that’s FREE!

FWIW, Devyn IS on that ride. Poor baby! We didn’t even let her play. And I did catch up in points! LOL!

Also, make sure you get in good with the residents and wear proper Princess attire. Here we have Sleeping Beauty and D-land resident, Pluto:

Drink plenty of water:

Keep your subjects happy by waving to them occasionally:

Always wear a smile . . . it IS the happiest place on earth (despite the lines, the heat, the crowds).

Bring proper warm clothing for the chilly evenings. When I say proper, this means that if you are wearing a Sleeping Beauty ballgown all day, you must wear a Sleeping Beauty sweatsuit in the evening to keep warm. Princesses must NEVER be seen in civilian clothing.

Enjoy the fireworks show:

Finally, if you are traveling a far distance from the resort back to your lodging, be sure to bring your comfy pink jammas:

Got all that?????????? I’ll be expecting pictures of you in your ballgown!

-Shawna

When I was about 12 years old, I was staying with my Aunt Terri one evening and she decided that I was old enough to watch her favorite movie: The Outsiders. The movie was based on the book by S.E. Hinton, and both the book and the movie are just great. Check it out here: The Outsiders. Of course, if you’ve read the book or watched the movie, you know then that you spend a good portion of the story bawling your eyes out. Thanks a lot, Aunt Terri. I remember looking at her and telling her, “This is just awful. Why, why did you make me watch this movie?” As I cried and cried and cried.

Anyways . . . this is all ancient history. How it relates NOW, is that I just did Terri’s son, Justin’s, senior portraits. Now, you have to understand that I don’t think I really, really, really SEE people until I photograph them. When I am taking someone’s picture (by themselves), I see the REAL them. Which would explain why I’ve never seen it before — I’m usually photographing Justin with his brother Riley. But just having some time to photograph Justin alone, made me see that my aunt had her PonyBoy from The Outsiders. Of course, Justin will probably kill me for writing about this. But he threw up on me when he was a toddler, so he still owes me!

Anyways, PonyBoy is one of the main characters of the Outsiders and in the movie he was played by C. Thomas Howell. Maybe it’s the eyebrows and the clothes, but here’s PonyBoy:

And here’s my Aunt Terri’s PonyBoy:

When I told Terri about how I saw a resemblance, she wasn’t seeing it based on her memories of the movie. I think the proof’s in the images, though!

I should mention that when Justin is not posing for the camera and being tormented by his older cousins (ha ha!) — he’s graduating from high school with incredible academic and athletic achievement (swim and water polo). He’s also been accepted to a SUPERB university and he’s going to major in engineering with a computer science minor. His family (myself included), couldn’t be prouder!

-shawna K

I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of photographing people at Balboa Park. Every session is different and every time I go there I find fun places to take pictures that I hadn’t seen before. Of course, I’ve always tried to get clients to slay the alligator . . . but only Seth was up for the job! Isn’t he quite chivalrous? Love it!

-shawna K

It’s pretty rare these days that I go out and shoot just for the heck of it. I pretty much always have a project I’m working on or a client I am photographing. Lately, some of my friends have been stressing the importance of embarking on personal photographic projects for the fun of it and to expand our creative horizons. I was looking up some old archived files recently, and I came across this set of images I took when looking for color in a draught resistant garden:

Garden

And I also came across this Photoshop fun session I had . . . I call it my “Circle Gallery.”

Circles

Enjoy!

-shawna K

Don’t worry, I won’t be using it at your wedding! (Unless of course you want me to!!!! :)). Awhile back, Mike and I took Devyn to the model railroad museum in Balboa Park, and we stopped off at the MOPA gift shop. Well, I couldn’t pass up this little doozy . . . the QUADCAM! One itty bitty camera, FOUR itty bitty lenses! Brilliant!

Reading the instructions was even comical. I’ve long since lost them, but they said something to the effect of . . . “forget everything you know about good exposure, good focus, and good composition. The quadcam is about ART!” As if, you know, “art” couldn’t possibly have good composition! [insert picture of me rolling my eyes and laughing here!]

So . . . here’s some fun with the Quadcam!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

This one was my favorite — Cordelia running at the camera.

Hayden prancing like the prissy man that he is.

I have no idea how this one happened - but there’s Mike and I looking back on Devyn and Devyn in her car seat. I think they cut the negative in the wrong spot, but it works! This is ART, right????

Devyn.

Devyn.

Cordy.

Mike.

Hayden.

Devyn.

Devyn.

Devyn.

Cordy.

Hayden.

Hayden.

Won’t this camera make excellent walking down the aisle images? I’M KIDDING! Or am I?

-shawna K

‘Tis the season for engagement sessions! Aidee and Danny had gorgeous weather for their engagement session at Wind and Sea beach in La Jolla.

Aidee is the twin sister of one of my past wedding clients, Adriana, so I am so excited to photograph her wedding. They are actually fraternal twins, but I think they look more identical than some identical twins do!!! In a few months, too, I’ll be photographing their older sister’s wedding. It’s so neat to work with families on a consistent basis and really get to know them. I’m excited!

-shawna K

As I mentioned before, Devyn had her first ballet class. This was exciting for me, because dance was such an important part of my life. I mean, doesn’t every girly girl mom want their daughter to be a ballerina? Devyn’s ballet teacher is actually MY ballet teacher from when I was about 5 years old, too! Too funny! The horrible part? She wouldn’t dance. She wanted to hold the fairy princess wand. She wanted to hold the pompoms. She wanted to do anything but dance. She practically hung on her dad’s leg the entire time and watched the other little girls dancing! Here is my outgoing and very social little girl, paralyzed with fear! It was kind of funny, if you ask me. But disappointing. Then, of course, the class ended and all she wanted to do was stay and dance. Whatever! I give up!

-shawna K